This invention relates to mobile workstations and, more particularly, to a mobile workstation that can include an adjustable-height horizontal tray, a pull-out keyboard tray, a vertically-mounted docking station mounted to the tray, a computer terminal mounted beneath the tray, a display screen mounted to the horizontal tray, and a power unit.
Wireless computer terminals are particularly well-suited to medical care environments, such as hospitals, doctors"" offices, and nursing homes. Here, wireless computer terminals offer a great advantage by replacing the conventional clipboard hanging from a patient""s bed frame or examination table with a wireless computer terminal that uses radio-frequency transmissions to communicate with a distributed computer network. These wireless computer terminals bring bedside medical care into the information age by computerizing medical charts.
A wireless computer terminal is typically used to post and retrieve the information that was traditionally posted on a bed-side clipboard, such as the patient""s prescriptions, vital signs, receipt of medications, scheduled tests, etc. This and other information is now automatically communicated between the wireless computer terminal and a distributed patient-care computer network. A medical practitioner making the rounds, such as a doctor or nurse, usually picks up the wireless computer terminal from a fixed storage location before visiting the patient and takes the terminal into the patient""s room. The practitioner then performs the indicated tasks and enters any relevant information into the wireless computer terminal, such as test results, vital signs, observations, and the like. When the visit with the patient is over, the practitioner usually returns the wireless computer terminal to its storage location.
Deploying a wireless computer terminal in this type of medical care environment presents several challenges. First, the wireless computer terminal should be stored near the patient""s hospital or examination room for easy access by the medical practitioner. Second, the wireless computer terminal should be kept secure to prevent theft or tampering. Third, the wireless computer terminal should be easily accessible with one hand because a medical practitioner often has the other hand occupied, for example with a tray of medications, a medical instrument, or the like. Fourth, the battery inside a wireless terminal should be kept charged.
To address these needs, wireless computer terminals have been deployed in conjunction with wall-mounted cradles or docking stations located outside of patient hospital rooms. The wall-mounted cradle includes a key or electronic lock for selectively securing the computer terminal in the cradle. For example, the cradle may include a vertically movable leveling tray that allows the wireless terminal to be easily removed from, and replaced for storage within, the cradle with one hand using a push-down-and-tilt motion. A locking mechanism selectively prevents the leveling tray from moving vertically. A battery charger connected to an AC power supply charges the computer terminal""s battery while the terminal is stored within the cradle.
These wall-mounted cradles work well but have a number of drawbacks. In particular, a separate wall-mounted cradle with an associated wireless computer terminal is typically located outside each hospital room. This results in a relatively large number of cradles and associated terminals, with each terminal sitting idle most of the day. Purchasing such a large number of cradles and associated terminals is expensive. In addition, once a practitioner removes the terminal from the cradle and takes it into the patient""s hospital room, there may no place to conveniently store the terminal inside the hospital room. The practitioner may have to step back outside the patient""s room to return the terminal to the cradle if both hands are needed for another activity during the visit, such as making the bed, assisting the patient to get out of bed, dressing a wound, or some other activity.
In another attempt to address some of the needs of medical practitioners, a mobile cart has been deployed in conjunction with a laptop computer. The mobile cart includes a horizontal tray with an upper surface on which the laptop computer resides. The laptop computer is typically secured on the mobile cart with a KENSINGTON lock (i.e., a cylinder-type key-operated mechanical lock). This mobile cart with an attached laptop computer has some advantages, but it also has a number of drawbacks. Physically walking back and forth from the patient""s bedside to the mobile cart to enter patient information into the computer can be inconvenient. In many cases, a removable computer terminal that can be carried over to the patient""s bedside would be more convenient. A removable computer terminal more closely resembles a conventional clipboard chart, which may be preferred by practitioners who have grown accustomed to clipboard charts.
In the previous mobile cart design, however, the practitioner must manually unlock the KENSINGTON lock to remove the laptop computer. This can be inconvenient, particularly when the medical practitioner is holding other items, such medical instruments. The KENSINGTON lock itself, which typically dangles from a cable connected to the computer, can be an annoyance. In addition, the location of the laptop computer on the surface of the cart occupies this space, which might be better used as a workspace for the practitioner to make notes, carry instruments, place medications, and so forth. The laptop computer also has a number of limitations. For example, the computer""s battery life is typically about two to three hours, and recharging the battery typically requires plugging the laptop computer""s power cord into an AC outlet for several hours. Plugging the laptop computer in for recharging typically idles the mobile cart for this period.
There is, therefore, a need for an improved docking station for a wireless computer terminal. Specifically, there is a need for a docking station that eliminates the need for a wall-mounted cradle and an associated wireless computer terminal located outside each patient hospital room. There is a further need for a mobile cart and associated computer terminal that is more convenient to use, has increased workspace, and has increased battery life.
The present invention meets the needs described above in a mobile workstation that includes a wheeled chassis, an adjustable-height horizontal tray, and a vertically-mounted docking station supported by the chassis or the horizontal tray. A medical practitioner making the rounds can push the mobile workstation from room to room and use the same computer terminal when attending each patient. An extended-life battery allows the mobile workstation to be used for an entire shift before recharging. The mobile workstation thus eliminates the need for locating a wall-mounted cradle and an associated wireless computer terminal outside each patient""s room. Because the docking station is vertically mounted, the terminal does not occupy the top surface of the horizontal tray, which allows this area to be used as a work surface.
When a docking station is used, a vertically movable leveling tray allows the wireless terminal to be easily removed from, and replaced for storage within, the docking station with one hand. An electronic or key lock allows the docking station to be easily locked and unlocked with one hand. When a docking station is not used, the terminal may be mounted to the top or bottom side of the tray.
The docking station typically includes an elongate dimension and a relatively slender dimension, and the tray supports the docking station with the elongate dimension substantially vertical and the slender dimension substantially horizontal. The bracket may be tiltably connected to the tray for rotating the docking station relative to the tray. A clutch connecting the tiltable bracket to the tray maintains the docking station in a number of selectable rotational positions relative to the tray.
The docking station typically includes a retainer for holding the device in the docking station. The docking station also includes a restraining member movable from an open position to a closed position so that the device may be removed from the docking station when the restraining member is in the open position, and so that the device is resiliently restrained in the docking station when the restraining member is in the closed position. For example, the retainer may include two spaced-apart arms for receiving a first side of a computer terminal, and the restraining member may include a leveling tray for resiliently supporting a second side opposite the first side of the computer terminal. The docking station may also include a lock movable from a release position to an interference position to positively restrain the computer terminal in the docking station. In this case, the docking station also includes an unlocking device for selectively moving the lock from the interference position to the release position to allow the computer terminal to be removed from the docking station.
In an alternative embodiment, the mobile workstation includes a wheeled chassis and a tray supported by the chassis. The tray has an upper surface defining a substantially horizontal work surface. The mobile workstation also includes a bracket mounted adjacent to the work surface for supporting a docking station for holding a device, such as a computer terminal. The device typically includes a display screen, and the docking station supports the device with the display screen in a substantially vertical position above the work surface. The mobile workstation may also include a pull-out keyboard tray supported adjacent to a lower surface of the tray.
Another alternative configuration of a mobile workstation includes a wheeled chassis, an adjustable-height horizontal tray, a wireless computer terminal supported by the chassis or the horizontal tray, and a power unit supported on the chassis. The tray has an upper surface defining a substantially horizontal work surface. The mobile workstation also includes a front mounting bracket mounted beneath the work surface for supporting a device, such as a wireless computer terminal. The device typically includes or attaches to a display screen, with the display screen above and towards the rear of the work surface. The mobile workstation may also include a pull-out keyboard tray supported adjacent to a lower surface of the tray. The mobile workstation also includes a back mounting bracket mounted adjacent to and beneath the work surface for supporting a power converter. The power converter connects to a battery pack and provides power to the device and to the display screen.
For each alternative embodiment, the chassis of the mobile workstation includes a dolly assembly, a vertical beam having a first end connected to the dolly assembly and a second end connected to the tray, and a mechanism for altering the length of the vertical beam and maintaining the tray at a number of selectable distances from the dolly assembly. The chassis may also carry a power converter and a power unit including a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the device through the power converter while the device is supported within the docking station, and a battery charger connectable to an AC power source for charging the rechargeable battery. A power cord may connect the battery charger to the AC power source, and the power unit may include a power cord storage assembly operable for retracting the power cord when the power cord is not connected to the AC power source.
That the invention improves over the drawbacks of the prior art and how it accomplishes the advantages described above will become apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments and the appended drawings and claims.